Helping America Clean
by Justice Lawliet
Summary: Probably the drabbl-iest drabble to ever to drabbled. Basically, America is trying to clean his storage room (again), and you are going to help him (which may or may not have been a big mistake). However, America also asked England to help; what none of them foresaw is how England will react to all of the keepsakes from when America was his colony. Not sure if I will continue this.


With a groan, Alfred opened the door to his storage room. I followed him, carrying a couple boxes. I had agreed earlier to help him clean up; now, I was wondering if I would still be cleaning for the next few years.

"Jeez, Alfred," I coughed at all the dust, "ever heard of cleaning?"

He chuckled. "The last time I was in here was before the Depression, so I guess that it _has_ been a long time..."

"Well, no matter!" I put the boxes down to the side and clapped my hands together. "First thing's first; we need to take everything out."

Alfred's incredulous expression was priceless. "_Everything_?!"

I nodded grimly. "Oh, yeah."

An hour later, about half of the room was empty. We had placed the stuff in the nearest room, which was in fact the living room. I was about to pick up one end of a giant chest, when I spotted something. "Hey, America?"

"Hm?" He looked up from what he had been carrying.

I walked over to a small desk that was coated with dust. On top of it was a faded wooden box; small wooden toy soldiers were both in it and standing around it. "This is absolutely adorable!" I picked one up to examine it more closely.

Since my back was turned, I didn't see Alfred's face fall when he saw the soldiers. "Oh, those? Thanks, I suppose. I've had them ever since I was a kid."

I looked back to him, my mouth agape. "Really? Dang; these must be centuries old, then!" Carefully, I put all the soldiers back into the box and picked it up, supporting its base. "You don't mind if I dust them off, do you?"

He shook his head. "Naw, not if you're careful with them!"

I grinned. "No problemo, Alfred! I promise that I'll treat them like the Crown Jewels!"

In the kitchen, I placed the box on the counter. Wow, it really was filthy. I would have to be extra careful with it.

I had just taken the first soldier out and was about to start cleaning it when there was a knock at the door. Confused, I went to open it. Standing there was England. "Um... hey, England. What'cha need?"

England's perpetual frown eased up a bit when he saw me. "Ah, hello, love. America had more or less forced me to help him with his cleaning. The git didn't even have the courtesy to ask me if I already had plans."

I stepped aside, allowing the nation to come inside. "Well, that's Alfred for you. He had also asked me to help, but since you're here, it'll go a lot faster."

England nodded, looking around. "So where is he, anyway?"

I pointed towards a doorway. "Through there, then a left. Alfred should still be in the storage room, since he's not out here."

"Thanks, love." He moved towards the doorway and past the kitchen, but something caught his eye. Backtracking, he peered inside. I sensed an immediate change in the atmosphere.

Worriedly, I walked over to put a hand on his suddenly tense shoulder. "E-England? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

He didn't answer for a moment, but he slowly lifted his arm to point at the box on the counter. "W-what is_ that_ doing here?" His voice was dangerously low; I ignored the nervous clench my heart gave.

"I found it in the storage room. I asked Alfred if I could clean it up a bit, since it was rather dusty." I lifted up the soldier I still had in my hand, along with the cloth. "I thought that they were too adorable to be just gathering dust. I was just about to get started when you knocked."

England nodded briskly, not looking at me. Instead, his focus remained locked on the box, as if it held all the secrets to the world. "I... see."

I bit the inside of my cheek for a moment, an awkward silence deciding to form. After a minute, I broke it with a self-conscious cough. "Well, then... er, Alfred must be having difficulties taking all of that stuff out."

The taller blond shook his head as if coming from a daze. "Yes, of course. Please excuse me." With that, he went off in search of the storage room.


End file.
